Indians release Chris Perez, sign Jason Giambi

Michael Allen Blair/MBlair@21st-CenturyMedia.com
Wahoo brothers Ed Weinfurtner of Chagrin Falls pretty much sums up most Clevelander's opinion on Chris Perez as photographed during the Indians' 4-0 AL Wildcard loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field on Wednesday, October 2, 2013.

The Indians officially began their offseason Thursday by addressing the status of two players who occupied opposite ends of the warm-and-fuzzy spectrum.
The Tribe re-signed revered designated hitter Jason Giambi and released reviled closer Chris Perez.
Neither move was a surprise, but the release of the rambunctious Perez was a dramatic statement by club officials who had clearly grown weary of Perez’s soap opera career in Cleveland.
Indians general manager Chris Antonetti gave a terse adios, when asked about the decision to release the two-time All-Star closer, who ranks third on the Indians’ all-time list with 124 career saves.
“We determined he would not be a fit on our roster next year,” Antonetti said.
The release ends a tempestuous five-year run by Perez in Cleveland, during which he went from loud-mouthed All-Star closer to muted deposed closer. At various times, Perez ripped Tribe fans for not attending games, ripped ownership for not spending more money, ripped the front office for not making better trades, ripped former Manager Manny Acta, ripped fans in Kansas City and engaged in a profanity-laced shouting match with a fan in Oakland, the video of which went viral on the Internet.
Things went from loud to worse this year, when he was arrested in June after a package of marijuana was delivered to his Rocky River home, addressed to his dog. Perez and his wife eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge. It was about that time that Perez stopped talking to the media.
On the field, Perez’s performance also spiraled in the wrong direction, culminating in him being removed from the closer’s role in the last week of the season, when the Indians were trying to secure a wild-card berth.
In 10 appearances in the month of September, Perez was 0-1 with four saves and a 9.64 ERA. He gave up four home runs in nine innings over those 10 appearances. For the season, he appeared in 54 games and was 5-3 with 25 saves and a career-high 4.33 ERA.
Perez, who made $7.3 million this year, is eligible for salary arbitration, and, despite his poor season, could probably still get a significant raise through the arbitration process. That’s another reason why he is now a free agent.
Perez pitched so poorly this year that it, and the baggage that comes with him, torpedoed his trade value, a fact that Indians officials basically confirmed by Thursday’s release.
“Obviously, with Chris being eligible for arbitration, we had to determine our needs, and how best to allocate our resources,” said Antonetti, who denied to the end that Perez’s chaotic 2013 season was a distraction to the team.
“No. He wasn’t a distraction,” Antonetti said. “We won 92 games with him as our closer for the majority of the season.”
Giambi, who will turn 43 in January, was a key member of an Indians team that surprised everyone by going 92-70, earning a trip to the postseason as a wild-card qualifier, and finishing one game behind Detroit in the Central Division.
Although he hit just .183 as a part-time designated hitter, Giambi belted nine home runs with 31 RBI in just 186 at-bats, and all of his hits seemed to come at big moments.
He was also a valued clubhouse leader and favorite of Manager Terry Francona.
“There is no better way to begin our offseason than by re-signing Jason,” Antonetti said. “He embodies everything we want in our players. He had an immense impact on our team.”
Giambi has been signed to a minor-league contract, and will be invited to the Indians’ major-league camp as a non-roster player. That’s the route he took this year, when he became the oldest player in major-league history to hit a walkoff home run. He also tied an Indians single-season record with three pinch-hit home runs.
Trade winds
The Indians Thursday acquired 28-year-old left-handed reliever Colt Hynes from San Diego in exchange for cash. In a combined 41 appearances at Double-A and Triple-A this year Hynes was 2-0 with four saves and a 1.52 ERA, with 58 strikeouts in 47 innings. In 22 relief appearances for the Padres, he had a 9.00 ERA.
“He has a fastball-slider mix and will get an opportunity to compete for a spot on our major-league team,” Antonetti said.
The signing season
Thursday was the first day eligible players can file for free agency, and five Indians players did so: pitchers Scott Kazmir, Joe Smith, Matt Albers and Rich Hill, plus catcher Kelly Shoppach. Free agents can begin signing with teams starting on Nov. 5.